The White Prince
by Paulzies
Summary: Chess always starts with two kings of opposite colours. Yet only one can win. For you to win, someone else must lose, that is the Britannian way. Lelouch vi Brittania and his twin brother Weismann vi Brittania will turn the world into their chessboard. But can they bend the rules such that both kings can win? As complex as chess is, there is one absolute: white goes first.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I have recently read an extremely amazing Code Geass fic called Dauntless (you should really check it out if you haven't), which inspired me to re-dive into the world of Code Geass, which is one of my all-time-favourite animes. Some of you might have read King of the World. It is with a heavy heart that I must confess that I am hereby dropping it, and this story will take its place. By no means am I going to drop Fallen Messiah however. Chapter 13 is well on its way to being published within a week.**

 **The problem with King of the World was that I was holding back ideas from Fallen Messiah to put in King of the World and vice versa, which isn't really fair to both of them. As such, I have decided to be unfair only to King of the World, and put all my Dxd/Persona focus into Fallen Messiah instead. I will be diverting my passion to the world of K into this story, along with my love for Code Geass. This story will most likely not be abandoned unless I run out of ideas, but I am afraid that I will more or less follow canon's timeline and event for this, because Code Geass was quite the masterpiece that does not need further tampering. So that probably won't happen. Fret not however, by the way for, for Shiro will retain all seven King's powers (or maybe not. But he'll definitely have powers. Maybe just the Colourless King's powers? We'll see how it goes, but he'll definitely retain his sharp mind and charismatic personality.)**

 **Anyway, enjoy.**

* * *

 **Prologue:**

It was not a secret that Emperor Charles zi Britannia was not very fond of his offspring. To the general public, such a thing seemed nearly blasphemous – their Emperor was perfect. But the royal family and those closest to them were well aware of the fact that the Emperor of Britannia saw and treated them as subordinates rather than children.

That was how he liked it. Children were a waste of his time. He did not have time to dote on them or raise them – he had a country to run and a world to conquer. And besides, he was an advocate of tough love. The children needed to be aware from the very start that they were nothing more than tools.

He would not hide them from the grim realities of politics and society. They were royalty, and they would behave and be treated like royalty from the very start. That was what it meant to be one of his children. If they could not handle it, then they did not deserve his name and the power that was accorded to them with it.

As for the nurturing part, he supposed that was why he had his wives. All hundred and eight of them, in fact. One of whom was just across the door he was waiting outside of.

He did not like childbirth. It was messy, bloody, and loud. And when he was present during the birth of his first son Odysseus, Anticlea had insisted on holding his hand the whole time. It had all been very irritating, and the crying lump of flesh dumped onto his hands at the end of it all was hardly a satisfying reward.

He allowed himself a small smirk at that memory. He had named his first child after the Greek King for a reason. In legend, King Odysseus had won a battle against the Giant Polyphemus under the alias of 'Nobody'. And in that moment he had held his first son, he realised something very important. His children were nobody to him. And so, he had given the child that name to subtly remind himself everyday of that fact. Anticlea, on the other hand, had been elated with the choice of name.

" _He'll grow up to be a fine King then."_

He scoffed. The little brat had grown up into anything but. Despite his efforts (or lack of any in raising the child), Odysseus was pampered and spoilt as the first prince of Britannia. He waited for things to fall on his lap when he asked for it and they always seemed to do so, either by sheer dumb luck or the efforts of the countless nobles pandering to him. Odysseus would never become Emperor, not that he would ever tell Anticlea that.

Many of his other children were similar. Entitled and conceited urchins who knew little of how the world worked. Of course, there were exceptions to every rule. Schneizel was the most promising to become his heir apparent. As the Second Prince, he had a (relatively) harder time to win the affection and backing of others. But when he had made it very clear that the order of birth had nothing to do with the selection of the next Emperor, many nobles had abandoned Odysseus and flocked to Schneizel. He trusted his second son as Prime Minister to run Britannia when he was off doing his little side projects with V.V., an act of favouritism many had noticed.

There were, of course, some others he kept tabs on. Cornelia had potential, as did Clovis, though both had flaws that made them unsuitable to rule Britannia until they were rectified.

He did not have any intention of giving up the throne any time soon. But he did not get to where he was by being complacent. It was always good to have a Plan B, though Schneizel was nowhere near the top of his backup plans. Off the top of his head, Schneizel would be Plan… H.

That was something subject to change very soon. For across a single wooden door, he would soon have a new candidate to succeed him. He had high hopes for this one, just like how he always did with Marianne. He had not heard any sounds of screaming or shouting throughout the whole process. The woman was strong and independent, and had not even asked for his presence as she was wheeled in.

" _You can wait outside, dear. I'll see you later."_

He knew she was his favourite for a reason.

Right on time, the door opened. The Imperial Doctor sunk to his knee. "It's done, my Emperor." Then there was short pause, "but there is a complication."

It was only then he realised the many specks of blood that dotted the man's gloves and scrubs.

He did not let his temper overrule him. Despite what many of the nobility thought, throwing tantrums was not a display of strength. Instead, he very calmly asked the kneeling man before him what had happened. But he made it very clear in his tone that heads would roll if the doctor had fucked up.

"I think," the man gulped, "it is better for you to see for yourself, your majesty."

If the man before him was not the one that tended to every single member of the imperial family, Charles would have had him executed on the spot for thinking that he could give even such a subtle and indirect order to the Emperor of Britannia.

Nevertheless, his curiosity got the better of him, and the doctor leapt out of his path as he stomped his way in, cape billowing behind him.

The first thing that hit him was the silence. There was no crying or even panting of breath. Only the sound of the heart rate monitor that meant that at least of one patient here was alive. He quelled down any fear he thought might have arisen up his throat. He was overthinking things.

Marianne was lying on her bed with her eyes closed, face strained with fatigue. Her long black hair, normally combed straight, was frayed and slick with sweat. Her skin was pale, and she looked in far worse shape than he had ever seen before. And he had seen her in war countless times. The only soothing fact was that her chest was rising up and down steadily and deeply, indicating that she was in a stable albeit unconscious state.

Charles gave her one last look before turning to the nervous doctor. "And the child?" he demanded.

The doctor pointed to one side, where two nurses carried wrapped bundles in their hands. "Both are there, your majesty. Healthy and awake."

He raised an eyebrow. "Both?"

"Empress Marianne gave birth to twins, your majesty. Both boys, though they are of the non-identical sort."

Twins? That was very rare, even in the very long and branched out royal family tree.

"Give them to me," he commanded.

The nurses complied, nestling both infants in the crooks of each of his elbows. He found himself smiling in amusement. How very like Marianne to give him two when he only expected one. No wonder she looked so exhausted. Childbirth was taxing to any woman, and giving birth to two of them at a time must have drained Marianne's already impressive stamina to the limit.

Then he realised something was wrong.

The doctor must have noticed the change in his expression because he said uneasily, "I see you've noticed the… complication, your majesty. The elder son… he is an albino."

Charles zi Britannia was not blind. He could see that. The pale skin. The red eyes. The white hair. This was unacceptable, and unfortunately something he could not execute the doctor for. And executing Marianne was even more off-limits. He had lost count of how many times he had declared to the public that Britannians were the strongest – the superior country and race. And he had made his family into the shining example of it. They were beautiful, he would admit unashamedly. His bloodline was supposed to be the embodiment of strength to the people and yet… he had given birth to a _defective_ human.

Unacceptable.

The doctor must have knew exactly what he was thinking. "If you would like, your majesty, I could alter the records so that the healthier one was born first. Or I could alter it such that the healthier one was… the _only_ one born at all."

The doctor sounded very apprehensive. He had good reason to. Even intending to hurt a member of the royal family was tantamount to treason, a crime punishable by death, and the albino child in his arms was definitely his son. Charles did not call the man out on it, and he could see the visible relief on the man's face as he silently and seriously considered the proposal.

Then he realised something. The child had not cried. Both of them had not. He took the time to look at the both of them, knowing full well that depending on his decision, this might be his last chance to see the complete set again. The normal one's hair was the same shade of black as Marianne's and looked almost as though he was pouting. His face was scrunched up, his eyes squinted into thin lines. He was probably still getting used to the light. But it was the albino one that unsettled him. The infant was staring at him with rapt attention, following every movement with crimson eyes that looked too sharp to be on a new-born. But the smile. It looked almost as if the child was taunting him with that wide grin on his face.

 _Go on, kill me. Let us see what my mother does to you afterwards_. That was what it looked like to him.

Oh God. Marianne. His fifth wife would never forgive him if he did such a thing. Then he shook himself out of his stupor. He was feeling threatened by a baby. Preposterous. Then he realised something. _He was threatened by a baby_. For the first time in his life, he had actually felt some emotion looking into the eyes of one of children. It almost made him drop both babies on the floor in shock. An act, if he had followed through with it, would have turned the previous internal debate pointless, and he'd be left with _two_ dead babies instead of one.

That little revelation cemented his decision. This would be too interesting an opportunity to pass up. "No. I will keep the child," he told the doctor. "And," he warned, "if I ever hear you threaten the life of another one of my children, you will wish that _you_ were the one never to be born." He dropped the stern face when he man nodded his head fearfully. It wasn't that he cared particularly for them, but it would be troublesome if the doctor thought he could say such things and get away with it.

"Marianne said she wanted to name them." He turned his attention back to the newest additions to the vi Britannia line.

The doctor nodded and pointed to the normal one. "Your majesty, may I present to you Lelouch vi Britannia," and then gesturing towards the sick one, "and Weismann vi Britannia."

Charles almost barked out in laughter. He was rusty in the European languages, but he knew enough French and German to deduce the meanings. Marianne had colour-coded their children. It was just like her to do so.

"Your majesty," the doctor interrupted hesitantly, "what of the order of birth? Will you keep the albino one as the elder?"

He seriously pondered it. The elder child would become the future head of the vi Britannias. He would need to be strong and, more importantly, appear strong. But Marianne was all about breaking traditions and formalities. She was the first common-born Empress in generations, and he was certain that she would be displeased if he denied her first-born of his rightful position.

"Doctor Hauser, do you play chess?"

"Yes… your majesty." The doctor replied uncertainly, nearly forgetting to add the last part. It was nice to see that his subjects were so well-trained.

"Then you should know that white always goes first."

* * *

 **A/N: Well, this is a taster. I'm really looking forwards to the rest of it. Anyway, leave your thoughts in the forms of review, favs and follows, and PMs. Let's try to get this to become at least as popular as Fallen Messiah, eh?**

 **~Paulzies 3**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Next chapt. We're just gonna start off with some background and history before any of the drama, you know, build the settings and the relationships.**

 **Few things to note. Some of you have pointed out the inconsistency with Weismann's eyes. OMG, you're so smart, How could I have missed that out? - NOT. He's albino in this story. Albinos have red eyes. So sucks to be you, he won't be getting his fancy gray/silver eyes. Honestly, I don't understand how people get so worked up over the most trivial of details.**

 **Also, his powers. He doesn't have them yet. And no, this is not a reincarnation, so there are no memories for him to be born with. Also, this story is about what Code Geass would be like if two King-worthy people existed instead of just Lelouch. So really, Weismann's presence here is just in name only. I'm just using his character, so don't expect too much K-ness from this fic. Regarding his powers, you know how Code Geass is less about explosions and special effects and more about strategy and character tension? I'd like to keep it that way, so I've decided that Weismann will have the Colourless King's ability instead (you know the whole take over body and gain their memories and skills thing?) So don't expect any swords of Damocles to be hanging from the air even though it's cool AF.**

 **Anyway, for now just think of Weismann as a smart, charismatic ordinary child. He'll get his powers when he gets them - _THEN_ we'll see if his eye can change just like with the Geass :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The vi Britannias**

* * *

 _Part One: Marianne_

Empress Marianne vi Britannia watched her maids try to feed her two children. They were hellions, something she had expected the moment she opened her eyes and saw Charles holding them.

Charles never held children for long. The longest record was Schneizel, who was held for a total of five minutes.

So she lay there, propped up by pillows, silently waiting for Charles to grow tired of them.

But he didn't. He would hold them for the next ten minutes until he happened to look up and make eye contact with her.

 _"You did well."_ Was all he said before handing the children to her.

She heard the approval in his tone and that was all that mattered. Weismann would live. She was so worried when she first saw her eldest child that the Emperor would disapprove, but it appeared as though there was nothing to worry about.

 _"Good job Weismann, Lelouch. I think you impressed your father."_

Now, watching them eat, she doubted she could say the same. Breastfeeding had been a nightmare for her. But now that that phase was over, her children's eating habits were her maids' problem.

They were eating liquidised and mushed up food since they didn't have teeth yet. Lelouch's bowl was already empty, but more food had wounded up on his lap and on the floor than in his stomach. He was a messy eater, spraying food out of his mouth and cackling with glee when the maids were thrown into a frenzy trying to clean up after him.

Weismann was a different story. The small boy took one bite of his food and then promptly never touched it again.

Even now, the servants were trying to force a spoon into his shut mouth, making airplane noises as they did so. She smiled when it didn't work. Of course Weismann wouldn't be so weak-willed. But she pitied him.

She did all the research she could on albinos the day after she'd given birth to one. The health risks were minimal, but there was a higher risk of infection.

She would not lose her son to a common cold, so she took steps to boost his weakened immune system, including a special diet once he was weaned. A diet Weismann apparently hated if the death stare he was directing to the bowl in front of him was of any indication.

Weismann was different from any other child she had seen in her life. She was quite intelligent herself, and she'd watched prince Schneizel grow into the prodigy he was now. It had only been a few month since he became Prime Minister, and the eleven-year old was running the country as well as any noble could. Frankly, it scared her a little when she was starting to see some of Schneizel's traits manifest in her younger son Lelouch.

Lelouch was very intelligent. He could differentiate and identify shapes within a month. Her younger son would grow into a terrifying prince. But the same could be said of Weismann.

Weismann never cried. Even Lelouch did when he was hungry or upset. When it was time for her to feed them, Lelouch would clamber onto her chest and suckle from her breast ravenously. But Weismann waited. He would wait until his younger brother was done before having his turn. It was polite, but certainly unnatural in someone that was only a few weeks old.

That was not all. Both children were very curious. Their eyes would light up when something new and unfamiliar entered their field of vision and they would crawl and claw their way to it and sink their tiny fingers into it.

Lelouch broke most of his new toys. Weisman kept them neatly arranged in pristine condition in a little corner the young prince had deemed as his own. Lelouch had once tried to invade it, but Weismann had simply thrown one of Lelouch's toys to the other side of the room to distract him.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Lelouch made a sound.

"Ba."

They couldn't speak words yet - that would be a little _too_ terrifying. But the twins had somehow concocted a language with their gibberish that only they seemed to understand.

Now, Lelouch had picked some stray food from his lap and was offering it to Weismann who looked at it with disinterest.

"Ba!" Lelouch said again, though he sounded a bit more insistent this time.

Apathy turned into skepticism, but Weismann still took the food. Marianne asked the maids not to interfere. If Weismann would not eat his special diet, then normal food would be better than nothing. And besides, she wanted to see how things played out.

Hesitantly, Weismann dropped the piece of mush into his mouth. His scowl broke into a beam.

"Ta!" He gurgled happily towards Lelouch.

"Ta!" Lelouch echoed after him, throwing both hands into the air triumphantly.

As Marianne watched the food on Lelouch's lap fly into Weismann's open mouth, she smiled. Her children were both terrifyingly keen, but they were still her children and she would still love them very much.

* * *

 _Part Two: Cornelia_

Word spread quickly whenever there was an addition to the Britannian imperial family. When Cornelia discovered that she had two new brothers, instead of just one, she was quite excited.

She needed more practice being an elder sister. With Euphemia growing in her mother's body, she only had a few months left before the real deal. And she was done taking orders from Schneizel just because that pompous little brat was a few weeks older than her and Prime Minister. Honestly, what was the Emperor thinking two years ago, appointing a ten-year-old as Prime Minister? And more importantly, why was it Schneizel and not _her_?

She gently slapped her cheeks. Now was not the time to be distracted. This was the first time she'd be meeting the vi Britannias in the form of a play date. From what she heard, they were quite a handful. She didn't know if that was good or bad. Quiet, obedient children were quite boring and hard to play with. On the other hand, noisy and rambunctious infants would most likely drive her up the wall.

The limousine she was in stopped for a moment and Cornelia knew they reached their destination. Then they made a sharp turn and brick walls were replaced with exotic trees and beautiful flora. So this was the Garden of Aries. She pressed her face against the glass window to get a better look.

She could imagine herself running through the gardens. There was so much space, and the many plants that littered the area would doubtlessly to be great obstacles and hiding places in a game of Hide'and'Go'Seek.

They stopped again in front of a gazebo. She could see Empress Marianne standing at the entrance. So this was her future mentor. She could see why she became an Empress even though she was born a commoner. She was _beautiful_. But she knew that before an Empress, Marianne vi Britannia had been a Knight, one so prodigious that she was chosen as one of the Knights of Round. She could see the former soldier underneath the Empress' regal façade. Her back was straight as a board and her hands were tucked behind her back in ready position instead of clasped in front of her waist like most other female royalty.

The door opened, courtesy of her chauffeur Albert. She thanked him as she swung her legs out of the car. She was not yet tall enough for her legs to reach the ground and, because it was unsightly for a princess to be jumping out of a car, she was helped down by Albert.

She curtsied towards Empress Marianne. "Your Highness. Second Princess of Britannia, Cornelia li Britannia, here to meet the Eleventh and Twelfth Princes of Britannia, Weismann and Lelouch vi Britannia."

She kept her head bowed, waiting frigidly for a response.

A kind voice reached her ears. "No need to be so formal, Cornelia. We are family. The boys have been so excited to play with you."

Relief flooded her. She looked up and was greeted by Empress Marianne's warm smile. Lord, the woman just looked astounding. But Empress Marianne had mentioned the twin princes but they were nowhere to be found.

Empress Marianne smiled at her confusion, "Boys. You can come out now."

Slowly, two heads popped out from behind Empress Marianne's dress at waist-level. Instantly she knew who was Weismann and who was Lelouch. Her mother had told her beforehand that Prince Weismann suffered from a rare condition that made him... different than others. Cornelia was forced to swear before coming that she would not bring it up and treat the boy as she would any other royalty.

Well, it was easy to tell which one was abnormal. Between the white hair, red eyes, and unusually pale skin, it was clear which one was Weismann.

She smiled at the both of them. "Hello Weismann, Lelouch. I'm your older sister, Cornelia."

Slowly, the two of them stepped out of the protection that Empress Marianne's dress offered them. On their short stubby legs, they toddled over to her.

She held out a hand to shake their tiny ones, but Lelouch leaned in suddenly.

A child-sized palm slapped her in the arm.

"You it!" Lelouch shouted gleefully before running away as fast as his short legs could carry him.

"Corny it!" Weismann was hot in his brother's heels, shrieking after him.

Cornelia remained standing there and watched the twins run off boisterously, demonstrating a completely different demeanor than they did seconds ago. Watching them dash into the bushes, she had to admit they had impressive motor skills for children so young.

She heard a soft giggle behind her. Empress Marianne still carried that innocent smile. "They were so excited they spent this whole morning preparing for Hide'and'Go'Seek."

"Preparing? What's there to even prepare?" She asked, mystified.

"Oh, you know, researching hiding places."

Realisation came to her a moment later, and she immediately spun back to find the boys. But they were gone. Dread filled her heart.

The Aries Garden was huge, and she would need to search the whole plot of land for them.

Empress Marianne looked down at her high-heeled shoes and shook her head disapprovingly. "I hope you're not going to be finding and chasing after them in _those_."

She pursed her lips. The dress would not be much of a problem. It would not hinder her mobility, thought it would certainly get dirty and even torn. But she had plenty of dresses, so that particular consequence meant little to her.

But her stilettos would definitely slow her down. The ground was still soft and muddy from rain, which made her heels a problem. Sighing, she took them off. She would have to find them barefoot. She had thought the wouldn't be a problem - all her other play dates ended up being indoors.

"Have fun, dear." Empress vi Britannia waved at her as she embarked on her quest to find the twin rascals.

The vi Britannia boys were definitely a handful, but a small smile tugged at her lips. That only made things more fun and interesting.

 _Three hours later_

This was ridiculous, Cornelia decided. She was being bested by a pair of two-year-olds.

 _Toddlers_.

The only logical reason she could think of was that their small bodies let them hide in inaccessible places. But she'd checked them all.

Behind trees. Behind rocks. In the shrubs and the hedges. There was no sign of the vi Britannia twins. Just where in the world could they even hide?

The Aries Garden was well-groomed and organised. The ground was flat and level and, unless they had dived into the pond, they were at least supposed to be within her field of vision.

There were no leaf piles to bury themelves in, no holes or caves that they could burrow into, and no trees with branches low enough for them to climb.

There was only one conclusion.

They were changing their hiding spots. Somehow or another, they were watching her from their hiding spots, and they would dash out to find another when she wasn't looking.

She had spent hours combing the area in vain. She was so frustrated she felt like pulling her hair and screaming into the sky like they did on the television. But Princesses had to act calm and composed, and so she settled for silent fuming instead. Somewhere, the two boys were probably giggling to themselves as they ran circles around her.

She hadn't expected this at all.

When she met Schneizel, they played chess. Always.

With Odysseus, they would watch television.

With Guinevere, they would go shopping or have a tea party with some of the First Princess' many friends.

This was the first time Cornelia had actually gotten dirt on her hands on a royal activity.

It was refreshing, no matter how close to giving up she was.

She looked back to the gazebo, where Empress Marianne had not moved an inch ever since she sat down. She still had that soft smile on her face, and her eyes were twinkling with amusement. _'I know something that you don't'_ , they almost seemed to be taunting her.

Well, it wouldn't hurt to ask, would it?

Swallowing her pride, she trudged her way back to where she started. It didn't matter that her clothes were soiled and soaked with sweat. Nor did it matter that her soles of her feet were painted with mud and hurt from all the walking.

She would find them.

"Empress Marianne. I don't suppose you could tell me where the two princes have gone? It's been a while since we've heard from them, and I'm starting to worry for their well-being and concern." She asked, faking as much concern in her voice as possible.

The woman laughed, and dismissed her reservations with a wave. "The boys are fine - very safe - right where they are. There's no need for you to worry, dear."

Cornelia's mouth scrunched up into a pout. So their mother was in on this as well.

Then she heard it. It was soft, but unmistakable.

A high pitched sound that could only be described as a child's giggle.

Right in front of her.

Empress Marianne's smile got even wider.

"Empress Marianne..." Cornelia pursed her lips, thinking about how to phrase her odd request. "Is it possible for you to... lift up your dress?" Her face immediately blushed red. She was committing more than royal taboo - it bordered on sacrilege.

Thankfully, Empress Marianne did not lose her temper. She looked positively entertained. "My my Cornelia. How bold of you. We've only just met!" she said with a coy look.

Her cheeks suddenly felt very warm. She was only twelve, but she understood the subtle meaning behind Empress Marianne's words. "It's nothing like that, your highness! I would never dream of doing such a thing! It would be dishonorable! You're family, and you belong only to the Emperor! And you're way too old for-"

The armrest of Empress Marianne's chair cracked under her strong grip. The smile was still there, only now there were bulging veins on her forehead. In a voice too sweet to be genuine, the former Knight of Six asked, "I'm sorry, Cornelia. I don't think I heard you quite right. Did you say I was too old?"

Cornelia li Britannia immediately realised the folly of her actions. She immediately pressed her hands to her mouth and shook her head, eyes widening with every second as Empress Marianne vi Britannia stared her down.

Years of etiquette lessons. Dozens of social events. Hundreds of scoldings by her mother. All of them had reiterated one thing.

 _Never call a woman_ _old_.

"Uh oh."

Both females looked down, where a tiny head popped out from the hem of Empress Marianne's dress. It was quickly joined by another one, this one with a mop of unruly raven hair, completing the set.

"Uh oh," Lelouch echoed after his elder brother.

Then the two princes looked at each other and laughed hysterically.

Cornelia saw red. She felt so humiliated. So embarrassed. The image of a respectable princess she devoted years to carefully craft had been shattered in a matter of hours by a pair of twins from hell.

She did the only thing a twelve-year-old could in the face of an identity breakdown. Tears welled in her eyes and she began to sob.

"Oh dear." Empress Marianne looked unsure at herself as the princess in front of her degraded into a wailing mess.

Lelouch and Wiesmann swiveled their heads towards the other and promptly did a hi-five.

* * *

 _Part Three: Nunnally_

The arrival of a younger sister had been a very interesting experience for Weismann and Lelouch, even before they were aware of her existence. They first heard about it when their mother disappeared for over a week. It wasn't the first time their mother had vanished of course. Empress Marianne was a busy person, but this was the first time she left without saying a word to them.

"Where's Mother?" Weismann asked Eliza, their primary caretaker.

"Her highness is pregnant."

"Preg...nant?" both of them repeated the foreign word in unison. They were three then, still grasping the fundamentals of language. Though if Eliza had to admit, they were speaking as well as her own daughter, who was nearing seven. Royal blood really was special.

"It means that there's a baby growing in her belly. A new younger brother or sister for you," she explained patiently to them, "but because the baby is growing too near the exit, the doctor has asked your mother to stay away from all sources of stress to prevent the baby from coming out too early. That's why she won't be here with you for the next four months. She needs to avoid stress."

For a while they nodded. Then they looked confused. "What's stress? Is it in this house? How do we get rid of it so Mother can return?" Lelouch ask precociously. Naturally, the subtle jab at their headache-inducing antics had not been noticed.

However, Weismann had paid attention to the other part of what Eliza had said. "If the baby is in Mother's belly... where's the exit?"

Eliza sighed. This was exactly the reason why Empress Marianne had been asked not to hang around the boys. They were just so darn clever she didn't know if they were genuinely curious or if they were just messing with her.

 _Four Months Later_

When Empress Marianne returned back with a newborn Nunnally in tow, the vi Britannia twins had all but forgotten about the pregnancy.

"Mama! Your back!" Lelouch cried out as he bounded out the front door.

"And you brought presents!" yelled out Weismann as saw the blanket-wrapped bundle in her arms.

Empress Marianne laughed. She missed the both of them very much. "Yes... her name is Nunnally, and the both of you will need to share."

"You got us a dog?!" asked Lelouch excitedly.

"Even better. I got you boys a sister!"

They became even more delighted, jumping up and down their mother's side to catch a glimpse of the latest addition to the vi Britannias.

"Nunnally!"

There was a soft gurgle from the sleeping child, and Empress Marianne lowered herself so the boys could see her wake up for the first time. She had the same eyes as Marianne and Lelouche - deep violet. But when a pair of crimson eyes bore into her newborn soul, her face scrunched up.

"Uh oh." Marianne said.

And then one-week-old Nunnally vi Britannia announced her arrival to the world with the loudest fuss known to the Imperial Family.

* * *

 _Part Four: Schneizel_

Satanspawns. That was what Cornelia called them. She refused to visit the vi Britannia's again since that fateful play date that had shattered her self-esteem for weeks. Now that Cornelia had Euphemia, she had no reason to visit them ever again.

And so in her ultimate wisdom, Empress Marianne had decided that he was to best candidate that stood a chance in quelling the infamous duo's boredom.

Schneizel could only sigh. He was Prime Minister - and had been the Prime Minister for the past six years - he had better things to do than to entertain a pair of six-year-olds. But he could not argue with an Empress. Or could he?

It was a blurry distinction in social hierarchy. Of course, his father, the Emperor, was at the top. But right below him were the Empresses, the Cabinet, and the Knights of Rounds. And as Prime Minister, he was the head of the Cabinet. But then again, rumours had it that Empress Marianne vi Britannia was the Emperor's favourite. He would have to go back and properly sort out this power ladder once he was done with the kids.

A butler led him to the room where the vi Britannia boys were waiting for him. He raised an eyebrow slightly when he caught sight of Weismann. So that was what an albino looked like. He'd never actually seen one before.

"Lelouch, Weismann." He nodded to them as he sat across them, a coffee table in the middle separating them. "You can call me Schneizel. You've probably heard of me, so let's skip the formalities." He kept his words curt and sharp - the faster he was done with this, the faster he could get on with his more important duties.

The boys nodded keenly.

This was not a play date. It was a tutoring session. Had it been the former, he would have instantly refused Empress' Marianne's request. She had asked him to teach them chess. That was the only reason he agreed. Because chess was an important life skill he felt every member of the Royal Family should master. And frankly speaking, there was no better teacher than himself.

"What do you know about chess?" he asked as a butler brought in a board.

They replied as he was setting up the pieces. He was pleased to note that even though they were talking, their eyes were glued to the starting arrangement of the pieces.

"White goes first," Weismann said.

"The King must be protected," added Lelouch.

He nodded his head. "Correct. Now let's begin."

 _Two Hours Later_

Eight moves. That was how much it took for him to beat the two of them once he had taught them rules, including the more high-level things like castling and promotion. His win had not been surprising - even though he had played black. He was good. They were beginners. In time, the number might increase, but for now they were hardly worth his time. That wasn't to say they were bad, however. They were talented. In their eight moves, they had kept in mind every single one of his lessons, moving their pieces with a sense of purpose and firmness that demonstrated their understanding of the rules of the game. They would become good in the future.

"Well," he smiled at them, hoping it would serve to encourage rather dishearten them, "that was not bad for your first times."

They did not reply. Their faces were locked in a look of concentration that made the pair of six-year-olds look almost... cute. Then they nodded. Lelouch began to reset the pieces and Schneizel noted there was no hesitation on the boy's part on which piece went where. Good. Had they already decided to play one another? That was the benefit of twins, he supposed. They could learn and train off one another.

Then Weismann fixed him a stare.

"Again." It almost sounded like an order and he nearly scoffed. But there was a sober determination in his eyes that made Schneizel stop himself. He sat back down. He supposed he could humor them. He looked at his watch. He was still an hour ahead of schedule.

Plenty of time, he chuckled to himself.

Thirty-seven moves.

Schneizel's eyebrows reached his hairline when he mentally recounted the game. He had been so engrossed he hadn't even kept count as they played. The difference was stark. In the first game, the boys took turn to play. Now there was no discernible pattern as to who played when. But there had to be, because the game last _thirty-seven_ moves. They were perfectly in sync, but different enough that their subtle inconsistencies jarred him slightly when one took over the other. There had been no communication between the two of them, but they had somehow agreed on a strategy, each one building off the other one's move.

Remarkable.

The clacking sound of wooden pieces stacking on a marble board shook him out of his musings. The board had been returned to its initial state.

"Again."

This time, he was eager to accept.

Eight-three moves.

 _Eighty-three_.

Unbelievable. Their learning curve was ridiculous. Individually, he knew that he could beat them easily. Finding their individual rhythms was simple, breaking it and taking over the game would not be difficult from there. Unfortunately, it seemed they understood that as well. The only thing they had over him was that they were two. And they abused that lone strength viciously. In the previous game he had been slightly thrown off by the small differences in play-style when they switched. They had seen it, and they took advantage of it. It had felt like fighting a war on two fronts. They bombarded him with individual attacks but teamed up when he least expected it. Random and erratic movements had their purposes revealed five to ten turns later. And when he did manage to deduce their intentions, they had managed to swing things back to their favour within the next few movies. The twins combined their strengths, and Schneizel finally saw it. They were both brilliant strategists, but their specialties differed.

Lelouch was the long-term planner, calculating move after move, predicting events more than twenty steps away. His traps were elaborate and difficult to see coming. Subtlety was his forte. Weismann was the quick-minded tactician, employing a mix of improvisations and a myriad of tactics to achieve his end-goal. He was unpredictable, seeing opportunities where no one else did.

But still, he had beaten them. But he could hardly call it a victory. They were six, he reminded himself. Even their combined age was less than his at sixteen. And he had needed to use his more underhanded techniques likes watching their reactions and following the gazes of their eyes to win.

No matter. With time he would get to know them better, understand how their minds worked and figure out a way to counter them. Of course the reverse was true as well, and he was certain the boys had already gleamed more than he was comfortable with from those three games.

He looked at his watch. He was late for his meeting with the Finance Minister. Well, it was hardly important anyway. This little session had been far more enlightening for him than a monologue from an ancient noble could ever be.

He learnt a valuable lesson today. And that was to never to have _both_ the vi Britannias Princes as his enemies.

As he walked out, Empress Marianne returned home, a sleeping Nunnally in her arms. She smiled when she saw him leaving.

"Good evening, Prince Schneizel. I hope the boys were well-behaved?"

He offered her a small bow. The mother of those two definitely deserved his respect.

"Extremely so. They are terrifyingly fast learners. I look forward to playing with them more."

He noticed her smile drop.

"Is that so." It lasted only for the briefest of moments and her warm expression immediately returned. "Well, you're always welcome here Schneizel."

"Thank you very much, Empress Marianne."

* * *

 _Part Five: Charles zi Britannia_

Because so many of his children degenerated into loud crying messes at the sight of him, Emperor Charles zi Britannia very quickly decided he wanted nothing to do with his children until they learnt not to make a fool of themselves in front of him.

Marianne decided that Lelouch and Weismann were ready to meet him at the young and tender age of seven - the same as Schneizel.

He was receiving a report from the Viceroys from one of the Areas when the vi Britannias barged into the Throne Room, dressed to the nines. One of the soldiers responsible for preventing such unannounced entrances trailed weakly behind them.

"I apologise, your majesty. She said she had an appointment. I tried to stop her..."

He scowled. What a weak excuse of a guard. He made a mental note to have him relieved of his duty later.

Marianne gave him a sweet smile, then subtly shifted her eyes towards the nervous-looking Viceroy.

He sighed.

"Leave," he commanded the Viceroy, "we will continue this tomorrow."

The riots in Area Six could wait. Marianne vi Britannia was incapable of doing so. Like a dog with its tail tucked between its legs, the noble scampered out with the soon-to-be-dismissed soldier.

"Marianne," he greeted.

"Your majesty." She knelt.

The two boys next to her were still absorbing the grandeur of the Throne Room. All the paintings, the sculptures, the banners, the _gold_. That left for a very awkward sight of Marianne kneeling between two standing boys and she quickly used one hand to force each them down.

"Your majesty," they mumbled after her.

He smirked when he knew none of them were looking. They had spunk.

"Weismann. Lelouch."

The boys looked up and, following their mother's cue, they stood as well.

"Schneizel speaks very highly of the both of you."

Their reactions to his statement were very different.

Lelouch took a small bow. "He exaggerates, your majesty. We are not as talented as he makes us out to be."

Weismann grinned, showcasing a set of white teeth to match his white hair. The red eyes made him look almost... sinister. "I sure hope he did. We beat him for the first time in chess last month."

Lelouch elbowed Weismann in the gut. Weismann said nothing to retract that statement, his chest still full of pride at his month-old achievement.

He allowed an eyebrow to raise a few millimetres. He knew Schneizel was very good at chess. Many a noble had come into the Throne Room to complain about being beaten by someone less than half their age.

"Really. You beat him?" He asked, and they nodded simultaneously. "Have you played him again ever since?"

They nodded again, but this time there was a little uncertainty in their actions.

"And did you win?"

"No..." Lelouch grumbled out. Weismann shook his head dejectedly.

"Then what does it matter that you beat him last month? If you can't replicate the victory, it's not a win. It's a fluke."

Their faces dropped. He scoffed. Did they honestly expect him to give out praise so easily?

"Yes, your majesty. We will work harder to better our skills." Lelouch bowed again.

"Your majesty, can I ask something?" Weismann, however, seemed to recover almost instantly and his whole body was nearly vibrating in excitement.

A slight dip in his head gave the albino boy his approval.

"If we become better than Schneizel at chess... Can we become Prime Minister?"

At this, even Marianne could not keep silent. Her laugh rang out throughout the room, a beautiful melody he was still hopelessly in love with.

"Weismann!" Lelouch was not as amused by his brother's sudden request. Perhaps the younger boy was the more sensible of the two. "Don't you know there can't be _two_ Prime Ministers?"

Perhaps not.

"Do you even know what the Prime Minister _does_?" He drawled out. At this age, the boys were probably still isolated in their homes and the royal estates. The social and public aspects of royalty only began later. They were still very unfamiliar with how society and the world worked, and he hoped that Marianne would hurry up and stamp out that childish naivety.

"Uhmmmmm... Schneizel says he goes around and plays chess with people. It sounds fun!" Weismann proclaimed.

Yes, of course Schneizel would say that.

"That... is only a small part of the job. The rest of it is very boring and dry. Like talking to people and reading papers." He found it amusing that he was wasting effort on educating them. There, he'd fulfilled his fatherly duties for the rest of the year.

"Oh." The two boys looked as though they had their dreams crushed.

"But... if you are keen to play, I am certain that your mother can make arrangements for you to meet others and challenge them."

Their eyes lit up again. They turned towards Marianne, who was looking at him with betrayal in her eyes. She knew that he knew that she hated the socio-political mingling that came with the royal title. And he'd basically just forced her to do it for the sake of the children.

"Is that true, Mother?" Lelouch asked, eagerness and hope in his voice.

He could see Marianne reluctantly accept her fate.

"Yes... I suppose I could introduce you to some more of the Royal Family." Her voice was strained. Charles knew that she didn't like most of her royal-blooded relatives, and the feeling was mutual. He knew he'd pay for this, but watching her squirm under her children's demands was just so... fun.

"Well, let's go now!" And then Lelouch and Weismann began dragging Marianne out.

"Bye, Father!" Waved Weismann before he slammed the doors shut.

Father?

Very few children had the audacity to call him that. Even fewer had the brains to call him that just as they were leaving, when it was too late for him to punish them for it.

He leaned back into his seat, rubbing his temples.

He had learnt much today.

Britannia had managed to gain herself two more very valuable assets.

Speaking of assets... He would need to speak to Schneizel.

Just what in the world was his Prime Minister thinking, losing to two seven-year-old boys at chess?

* * *

 **A/N: I'll try to keep the chapters for this fic shorter but more regularly updated! Expect Fallen Messiah to slow down to about 1/2 a month. On that note, do let me know how you feel about this fic in the form of reviews/PMs!**

 **Don't forget to fav and follow!**

 **~Paulzies**


End file.
